Welcome to the House of Commons
parliamentary heritage
125th Anniversary of Hansard
House of Commons.
Tuesday, 4th May, 1880.
The Speaker took the Chair at Three o'clock.
Prayers.
Official Report of the
Debates.
Committee's report
presented.
"Hansard
exists, not for the legislator alone but, in a real
sense, for the nation."
Former Parliamentary Librarian and Parliamentarian,
Martin Burrell, 1928
On May 4, 1880, the Official Debates Reporting
Branch published its first record of the debates in
the House of Commons. Hansard remains
critical today not only for Members and the smooth
functioning of Parliament, but also for the
historical record of Canada. To honour this 125th
anniversary, the House of Commons is presenting the
history and accomplishments of Hansard in
this 2005-2006 annual report.
The House of Commons is a place where Canadians can see
democratic principles put into action. Elected
representatives debate national issues, examine proposals
for laws, and express the ideas and concerns of their
constituents. It is a place of reflection and action,
debate and decision. This work takes place not only in
the green-carpeted Chamber that television has made
familiar to Canadians, but in committee rooms, party
caucus rooms and Members' offices. In all these areas of
activity, Members of Parliament are supported by the
employees of the House of Commons Administration.
This past year was marked by a key event in a democracy:
an election. The 38th Parliament ended in November 2005,
and Canadians went to the polls in January 2006, to elect
their federal representatives. This Report to
Canadians focuses on the work of Members and the
House Administration from April 1, 2005 to March 31,
2006, and on the Administration's commitments for
2006-2007. The 39th Parliament, the work of new and
returning Members and the support provided by the House
Administration will be the subject of next year's report.
In this section of the Report to Canadians, you
will find information on the composition of the House of
Commons and the activities carried out by Members of
Parliament.
The Work of a Member of Parliament
Members of the House of Commons have many roles: they
make laws, bring Canadians' ideas and concerns to
national attention, act as ombudspersons for their
constituents, and represent Canada internationally.
In the Chamber - The
Chamber is the focal point for the Commons'
activities. Members debate and vote on proposals, table
documents and petitions, ask questions of the government,
and raise issues of importance to Canadians.
In committee - Members also serve on
committees, where they examine bills, departmental
expenditures and current issues in depth.
In their constituencies - Constituents
contact their
Members of Parliament to discuss matters of concern
to them, and to ask for help regarding federal government
programs and services.
On the
international stage - Members have a role to
play internationally by representing Canada's interests,
promoting democratic institutions and strengthening ties
with other countries.
Party Membership in the House of Commons
Members of Parliament are also members of their
respective political parties.
Senators and Members of the House of Commons who
belong to the same party attend regular and special
caucus meetings, where they raise issues on behalf of
constituents, and discuss party policies and
parliamentary strategy. While some Members sit as
independants, most belong to one of four party caucuses.
Listed alphabetically, these caucuses are the Bloc
Québécois, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, and
the New Democratic Party.
The House of Commons Chamber is a forum where national
issues and legislation are debated.
Photo: © Library of Parliament/Roy Grogan
At the end of the 38th Parliament, party membership in
the House of Commons was distributed as follows:
Province
|
Lib.
|
Cons.
|
BQ
|
NDP
|
Ind.
|
Vacant
|
Total
|
Alberta
|
1
|
26
|
|
|
1
|
|
28
|
British Columbia
|
8
|
22
|
|
5
|
|
1
|
36
|
Prince Edward Island
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Manitoba
|
3
|
7
|
|
3
|
1
|
|
14
|
New Brunswick
|
7
|
2
|
|
1
|
|
|
10
|
Nova Scotia
|
6
|
3
|
|
2
|
|
|
11
|
Ontario
|
74
|
23
|
|
7
|
2
|
|
106
|
Quebec
|
21
|
|
53
|
|
|
1
|
75
|
Saskatchewan
|
1
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Newfoundland and Labrador
|
5
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Nunavut
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Northwest Territories
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Yukon
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
National Total
|
133
|
98
|
53
|
18
|
4
|
2
|
308
|
Membership after the 39th general election is shown
below:
Province
|
Cons.
|
Lib.
|
BQ
|
NDP
|
Ind.
|
Vacant
|
Total
|
Alberta
|
28
|
|
|
|
|
|
28
|
British Columbia
|
18
|
8
|
|
10
|
|
|
36
|
Prince Edward Island
|
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Manitoba
|
8
|
3
|
|
3
|
|
|
14
|
New Brunswick
|
3
|
6
|
|
1
|
|
|
10
|
Nova Scotia
|
3
|
6
|
|
2
|
|
|
11
|
Ontario
|
40
|
54
|
|
12
|
|
|
106
|
Quebec
|
10
|
13
|
51
|
|
1
|
|
75
|
Saskatchewan
|
12
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Newfoundland and Labrador
|
3
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Nunavut
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Northwest Territories
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
Yukon
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
National Total
|
125
|
102
|
51
|
29
|
1
|
|
308
|
For a more detailed breakdown of membership in the
Commons, please consult the Parliament
of Canada Web site under "Current Parliamentarians."
Period of the Report
April 1, 2005-March 31, 2006
This report summarizes activities in the period
corresponding to the standard government fiscal
year.
Parliamentary Sessions Covered in this Period
1st session, 38th Parliament
(partial, March 2005 - November 2005)
Key Dates
November 29, 2005 - 38th Parliament dissolved
January 23, 2006 - 39th general election held
Total number of sitting days
2005-2006: 84 days
How to Find Your Member of Parliament
Canadians can use their postal code to identify
their Member of Parliament on the
Parliament of Canada Web site. This site also
offers information about Members and their work.
Fold-out inserts in the centre of this report show
photographs of the Members who were elected to Canada's
38th and 39th Parliaments.
A Closer Look at Members of Parliament
The Members of the House of the Commons are as diverse as
the people they represent. Seated behind the desks in the
Commons Chamber are men and women from many cultural
backgrounds, with a wide variety of skills and
experience.
The expertise that Members bring to their work spans
generations. During the 38th Parliament, the average age
of Members was 51, with the youngest Member being 25 and
the oldest 73. Figures during the 39th Parliament are
almost identical: the average age is 51, with the
youngest Member being 26 and the oldest 72.
Members of Parliament have experience in a wide variety
of fields, including law, business, agriculture,
journalism, education, religion, economics and
administration. For specific information about the
occupation of Members from the current and past
Parliaments, please visit the Parliament
of Canada Web site under "Current Parliamentarians."
The 38th Parliament had the most female Members ever
elected - 65 seats were held by women. That number
decreased slightly to 64 in the 39th Parliament.
Membership in the House includes the Inuit, Métis and
First Nations peoples of North America as well as the
many nationalities who have made Canada their home. Over
the past two Parliaments, approximately 12 percent of
Members were born outside Canada in countries such as
Greece, Italy, China, India, the United Kingdom, the
United States, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago.